Thank goodness: the summer holidays are almost here! It\u2019s time to pack away your folders, notebooks and school bag, and relax. If you enjoy reading, then this is the long desired time when you can read for pleasure once again, instead of studying books related to your school subjects. However, I always found that stepping into a bookshop again after exams was quite a daunting experience. There were so many books that I\u2019d missed out on and that I wanted to read! Here is a short guide to some great summer reads, chosen to keep you interested and passionate about books, whether you\u2019re reading on the plane, by the poolside, or in your garden. Enjoy!<\/p>\n
\u2026if you want to be on the edge of your seat<\/strong><\/p>\n Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn<\/p>\n Gone Girl is a masterclass in suspense. Flynn weaves a dark murder mystery story and then flips it on its head to question if everything you thought about the characters was really true. Dramatised as an award-winning film last year with Ben Affleck and Rosamund Pike, Gone Girl will intrigue you and keep you turning each page frantically to find out what has happened to Nick Dunne\u2019s missing wife.<\/p>\n You might also like: Angels and Demons by Dan Brown; The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson<\/p>\n \u2026if you want to escape<\/strong><\/p>\n Rooftoppers by Katherine Rundell<\/p>\n A magical book. I discovered this back in September and was enchanted by the story of the apparently orphaned Sophie and her exploits with her guardian, the tweedy academic Charles. Ever under the watchful eye of Miss Eliot from the National Childcare Agency, Charles encourages Sophie to play the cello, write stories on the walls, climb everything she wishes and most importantly, \u201cnever ignore a possible\u201d. It is this lesson to which Sophie clings, as she continues to believe her mother is still alive after the shipwreck, and resolves to find her. Their journey takes them to the rooftops of Paris, where Sophie meets the Parisian \u2018rooftoppers\u2019, a gang of orphaned children who prefer to stay out of the way of the authorities by living amongst the birds and the chimneypots. Rundell\u2019s exceptional use of language creates a vivid, fairy tale-esque world \u2013 and who wouldn\u2019t want to read on from the opening sentence \u201cOn the morning of its first birthday, a baby was found floating in a cello case in the middle of the English Channel\u201d?<\/p>\n You might also like: the Harry Potter series by J K Rowling (go on, revisit them! Give yourself a treat.)<\/p>\n \u2026if you want to be made to think<\/strong><\/p>\n To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee<\/p>\n This classic novel tells the story of a convicted black man living in the Deep South in the 1930s, seen through the eyes of his lawyer\u2019s daughter, Scout. It\u2019s a powerful book, made even more poignant by the innocence of the young narrator, who learns to understand prejudice and discrimination over the course of the novel. The strong character of Scout\u2019s father, Atticus Finch, will inspire you to seek the best path possible in life, whilst reflecting on the injustices still prevalent in modern society. A \u201csequel\u201d (the novel was technically written before To Kill a Mockingbird) is due to be published on July 14th (‘Go Set a Watchman’), and so this is the perfect time to read Harper Lee\u2019s novel, whether you\u2019re reading it for the first time or reacquainting yourself with it.<\/p>\n You might also like: Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee; Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck<\/p>\n \u2026if you want to fall in love<\/strong><\/p>\n Captain Corelli\u2019s Mandolin by Louis de Berni\u00e8res<\/p>\n Captain Corelli is a love story set on the idyllic Greek island of Cephalonia in the midst of the Second World War. The doctor\u2019s daughter, Pelagia, falls in love with a captain in the occupying Italian army. These \u2018star-crossed lovers\u2019 negotiate the resentment of the Greek people, the discomfort of the Italian soldiers, ever more ill at ease in their occupation, and the distrust of the Nazis, who continue to make their presence felt on the island. The result is a romance that illuminates the perils of the war, whilst it also remains comic and moving, thanks to the irrepressible humour and lust for life of the captain. One of my favourite books ever.<\/p>\n You might also like: Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier; Atonement by Ian McEwan; The Dust that Falls from Dreams by Louis de Berni\u00e8res (newly released this summer!)<\/p>\n \u2026if you want to laugh<\/strong><\/p>\n Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen<\/p>\n I must admit, I read this every summer on the beach in Cornwall, and I love it more every year. Pride and Prejudice is Jane Austen\u2019s most famous novel for a reason \u2013 it\u2019s witty, light and enchanting, the perfect summer read. Austen\u2019s cast of characters range from the hilariously grotesque (for example, the slimy Mr Collins and grandiose Lady Catherine) to the inspirational. I defy anyone to read Lizzy Bennet\u2019s exchanges with Mr Darcy and not wish to emulate her quick-thinking and ability to twist a partner\u2019s words. If you enjoy sitting in a coffee-shop window and people-watching, then this is your cup of tea. Social commentary at its best.<\/p>\n You might also like: The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde; Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen<\/p>\n And for more inspiration, look at 100 Books to Read Before You Die<\/a>!<\/p>\n Written by Laura Clash<\/em><\/p>\n A MyTutorWeb English Tutor<\/a><\/p>\n